


Cinder Dies in February

by Soeverlasting



Series: Cinder Dies When Killed 2021 [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Challenge Response, Decapitation, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Killing a character once a month (2021), Volume 5 (RWBY), Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-19 05:14:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29621154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soeverlasting/pseuds/Soeverlasting
Summary: If Jaune struck Cinder a little harder and lower during that decisive moment in the battle of Haven
Series: Cinder Dies When Killed 2021 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2133063
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10
Collections: Killing a character once a month of 2021





	Cinder Dies in February

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Near-Death Experience.

Cinder forgetting who Jaune was, like how one forgets some mundane piece of trivia, really set him off. The fall of Beacon was one of the worst days of Jaune's life. He lost Pyrrha, a dear friend and, if given to chance, maybe something more could have developed between them.

Jaune, not having been used to the affections of the opposite sex, was too dense to notice Pyrrha's feelings, and, more importantly, Cinder took that chance away from them.

Ignoring everything Pyrrha taught him about combat, Jaune rushed towards Cinder with mindless hacks from his sword. Cinder parried each blow with ease. _Who's this idiot?_ They all sort of blend together after a while. Then Cinder got it.

"I'm starting to remember you. You're the dense one that can't tell when he's out of his league." Cinder knocked Jaune to the ground, but he quickly got back up and resumed hacking away at Cinder. _This guy was Niko's teammate._

After a poor choice of words from Jaune, Cinder ignited her scimitar and fought Jaune in earnest, pressing forward and pushing Jaune back.

Jaune knows he decided too late to become a huntsman. The skill gap between him and everyone else grows wider every day. Even so, he can't give up, for Pyrrha's sake.

Jaune got a break when Ruby's silver eyes flooded the room with light.

 _So this is what Ruby did at the top of Beacon Tower._ Jaune regained his sight first and saw Cinder falling to her knees and clutching her left arm.

 _This is my chance._ Jaune readied his blade but he froze. He never killed a person before. Grimm, yes, but they were monsters that, conveniently, dissipate into smoke when they're killed.

 _She killed Pyrrha._ Jaune tightened his grip. _Pyrrha pushed you away because you weren't strong enough, but you're stronger now._ Jaune took a deep breath. _Stop acting like a coward already._

In one reality, Jaune, rushing to strike, stumbled forward and swung his sword in a wide arc only to nick Cinder's mask before falling to the ground.

But in this instance, aiming lower and swinging harder this time, Crocea Mors, the family heirloom that saw Jaime's great ancestor through the Faunus wars, cleaved clean through aura and arteries, separating Cinder's head from her neck in a spigot of blood. Her body fell to the side with a thump, blood spilling out from the neck stump.

The head hit the ground with a sickening squish and rolled against Jaune's foot, staring back at him with eyes stuck in a state of astonishment and disbelief. Those same eyes blazed with maiden power, but only for a moment and soon those same fires were snuffed out as the maiden power left Cinder's body searching for its next victim.

Realizing what he had done and before he could stop himself, Jaune vomited on top of Cinder's head. The blood and vomit mixed into a crude orange, like thousand island dressing.

The room fell silent. Each fight grinding to a halt to gawp in awe at what just happened. Like they just realized swords are tools made for killing people.

"Cinder!" Emerald yelled as if the head could still hear her. She tried to rush over, thinking she could save Cinder somehow, but Ruby intercepted her.

"Vernal, forget the heiress. We're heading down," Raven held Lionheart by the scruff of his neck. Raven wouldn't let a little decapitation freeze her. 

"Raven get back here," Qrow tried to follow but Hazel blocked his path. Everyone, hoping to forget what just happened, resumed their individual skirmishes.

Life goes on.

But for Jaune, even as the battle raged around him, blocked everything out and fell to his knees, all the tension leaving his body. He did it. He avenged Pyrrha. It didn't take as long as he thought it would. Jaune was prepared to chase Cinder for the rest of his life.

Then he got lucky with that wide swipe here in Haven Academy, several months after Pyrrha disintegrated. What a turnaround.

Jaune should feel happy, elated even.

And yet.

Even as Cinder's head stared, through the vomit, at the ceiling, even as Emerald, too distraught to cast illusions, screaming bloody murder at Jaune, perpetuating a cycle of vengeance Jaune knows too well, even as Jaune got justice for Pyrrha—the girl who believed in him more than he ever did— even then Jaune felt nothing at all.


End file.
